The Cost of a Thanksgiving Meal in Missouri

Good news for Missouri shoppers. The price of a Thanksgiving meal is not going up very much in 2015. The American Farm Bureau Federation says that the price for most items used to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving Day meal will be very similar to 2014 prices.

“Food prices over the past few months have trended toward the low side of normal inflation,” said Diane Olson, Director of Missouri Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Programs. “The items needed to prepare the Thanksgiving Day menu are following this trend as well.”

Missouri Farm Bureau asked volunteer shoppers to collect prices at local stores across the state. Based on this reporting, they found a meal for 10 people averaged $51.92. That's an overall increase of $1.40 from 2014. Missouri is slightly higher than the national average, which totaled $50.11.

According to the Missouri Farm Bureau, turkey prices averaged $1.37 per pound in the Show-Me State, ranging from as low as 79 cents to as high as $1.69 per pound. Last year’s average price was $1.24. Cranberries are up about 27 cents, and a gallon of whole milk dropped 70 cents. Whipping cream rose 29 cents in 2015. Farm Bureau says that prices for turkey and cranberries will continue to fluctuate as we move closer to Thanksgiving.

There had been concern of a turkey shortage for this holiday season, but it looks like that is no longer a concern. “There appears to be no shortage of turkeys for Thanksgiving despite earlier concerns,” said John Anderson, AFBF Chief Economist.